When reports came in of an armed man on a flyover just after 8 a.m. Monday, police shut down both I-595 and Florida’s Turnpike, stalling multiple lanes of heavy commuter traffic in four directions.

“All of a sudden traffic stopped and police cars pulled right in front of everyone and all of a sudden I just saw lots of men with guns,” driver Michelle Decarion told CBS Miami. “A really intense morning just seeing the cops, really distressed and concerned.”

Engle identified the weapon as an assault rifle. The flag was visible flapping in live news chooper footage, which showed a white van pulled over to the side of an overpass some 70 feet in the air. Gutierrez sat for a long time with one leg over the side barrier, and was drinking beer and smoking a cigarette according to Local10 reporter Tamika Bickham.

At one point, Gutierrez put a noose around his neck with the other end of the rope tied to his van.

Police moved drivers out of shooting range and kept their distance until about 11 a.m., when a SWAT truck rolled up the overpass and Gutierrez walked to it with his arms raised, surrendering himself into custody.

The South Florida Sun Sentinel reports his wife was on scene, helping negotiators talk Gutierrez down.